Posted by ed_uk on August 6, 2005, at 12:44:39
In reply to Re: We need placebo » Kon, posted by SLS on August 6, 2005, at 11:59:58
>In my opinion, the current self-reporting rating system is ridiculous.
Depression rating scales are really very poor. Since the symptoms of depression are so variable, both between individuals and within individuals, creating a truly sensitive rating scale which can be used to rate the severity of depression in all subjects is probably an impossible task.
1. Certain subjects may suffer numerous depressive symptoms which are not listed on the standard scales.
2. Certain symptoms may be much more problematic than others. This will vary between individuals.
3. Many listed symptoms may be irrelevant to certain subjects eg. some depressed patients never experience increased/decreased appetite.
4. A given individual's symptoms may be very variable and difficult to rate.
5. Patient's and clinicians may differ in their view of which symptoms are most important.
6. Emphasis on somatic symptoms may obscure changes in a patient's mood/core symptoms.
7. Perhaps severity of depression could be measured based on the 5 symptoms (picked from a list) which are most important to an individual patient eg. depressed mood, anhedonia, insomnia, suicidal thoughts and agitation ..........or apathy, increased appetite, excessive sleep, cognitive impairment and anhedonia.
~Ed
poster:ed_uk
thread:534296
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050803/msgs/538289.html